SHOWDOWN: Music City Bowl—Joey Aguilar & Tennessee FACE Illinois’ Luke Altmyer in Offensive Showcase

Tennessee Volunteers and Illinois Fighting Illini face off in the highly anticipated Music City Bowl, each aiming to silence doubters after 8–4 campaigns that fell short of preseason College Football Playoff hopes. Quarterbacks Joey Aguilar and Luke Altmyer headline explosive offenses, with Aguilar’s gunslinger style resetting expectations in Knoxville and Altmyer’s clutch playmaking earning praise as Illinois’ best QB in recent memory. Which signal-caller will rise to the occasion under the Nashville lights?

Eric Cain and Sunny Verma break down key matchups, including the dynamic wide receiver corps—Illinois’ Hank Beatty and Tennessee’s Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews—along with critical opt-outs like Chris Brazzell and Gabe Jacas. With both defenses struggling and ripe for a high-scoring shootout, predictions, FanDuel odds, and under-the-radar storylines make this bowl preview a must-listen for college football fans seeking insight and bold projections.


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